Dream Or Reality?
by R.C. Babcock
Summary: This story takes place after season 5, "The pre nup" and is mixed with a little ... different stuff. Nothing belongs to me ... Besides a huuuge fantasy. No perfect English but please R&R !
1. The cofession

This story takes place after season 5, "The pre nup" and is mixed with a little ... different stuff ;)

Nothing belongs to me ... Besides a huuuge fantasy and the character of Lauren Kent ;D

If CC and Niles would belong to me ... Oh boy, I'd be the happiest woman on earth.

Please R&R

* * *

><p><em>I miss you.<em>

_I miss you so much._

_Come back._

_Please._

_I need you._

_I ..._

_I love you._

CC's eyes flew open. Again this dream ...

She knew it had to be a dream.

Though she felt his presence, she knew he couldn't come to visit her, just to whisper these little sentences in her ear.

It just wasn't him, it wasn't his nature.

CC stretched herself.

She heard his voice in her ear for weeks now, day for day.

Last time she was all doped that old softy had whispered into her ear, "Maxwell loves Fran, you're alone and old, you have to wear a straight jacket to feel a man's arms around you."

CC couldn't help but grin.

The old softie had visites her ...

And now maybe he did again.

The _I miss you_s sounded so much like him ...

Would he do that?

Would he whisper "I miss you" in her ears?

_I need you._

_Come back._

CC's heart clenched.

_I love you ..._

"Imagination", CC mumbled. "A dream."

"Oh, CC. You're awake."

CC looked up and saw nurse Juliet approaching her.

She watched Juliet as she took a few tablets and pills out of her coat pocket.

CC sat up.

"You've got more pills for me?", she snorted. "Right after I've slept fifteen hours without a break?"

Juliet sighed with a warning "CC ..." and CC rolled her eyes.

"Oh, alright, just give them to me", she said. "My liver is already is already dead, I could die anytime. This whole thing makes no sense. If you want to kill me, give me the death blow! I have nothing against it ..."

"You've got many friends who love you and for whom it's worth to live, CC", Juliet said and placed the pills on CC's hand.

_I don't want many friends, I just want Niles_, CC thought and swallowed the pills.

* * *

><p>"You don't know my type", Miss Kent purred, touched Niles' cheek lightly and then turned around.<p>

Niles stared at her small booty in a shock as she walked away.

She had insulted him all day ... Was it possible she had done that because she_liked _him?!

His heart began to beat madly when he thought about the fact, it maybe might be the same with Miss Babcock ...

Miss Kent turned around to look at him.

"What's up, Maid Boy? Aren't you coning?"

"Certainly, Miss Kent", said Niles quickly. "Just one minute ..."

As he ran off, he tried to ignore the weak imitation of the usual "Butler Boy" he loved, and which sounded so much more perfect out of Miss Babcock's mouth.

But he'd already known, Miss Kent was just a poor copy from the real - the manly - Babcock herself.

He entered Mr. Sheffield's office and yelled, "I'm taking the evening off. If I'm not here tomorrow morning - yeey!"

"Oooookay?", Mr. Sheffield said, but Niles was already out of the office again.

* * *

><p>They were lying on her bed.<p>

Niles touched her and she moaned his name.

They kissed.

Niles cupped her face and loved her face with is tongue.

He had his eyes closed as he stroked her hip, her waist, her breasts.

But this was wrong.

Her hips were wrong, her waist was wrong, her breasts were wrong.

She was so delicate and petite, it seemed like she could break at a simple touch.

He opened his eyes and looked in this beautiful white face.

Her blonde hair fell over her shoulers and she had her eyes closed.

Niles kissed her breasts.

They were so tiny ...

He usually didn't care about the cup size of a woman, but she looked so much like Miss Babcock ... except of the body.

And he couldn't stop thinking about Miss Babcock ... Thinking about the fact he kissed her and not Miss Babcock ...

"Miss Kent ...", he whispered.

Miss Kent opened her eyes and looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"I - I can't do this", Niles said weakly.

"Because you love Miss Babcock", Miss Kent said.

"I guess so", Niles sighed. "I'm sorry. You're wonderful, but - wait, how do you know?"

Miss Kent shrugged. "They way you talk about her ..."

"Sorry", Niles whispered.

Miss Kent laughed. "It's okay, Maid Boy. I understand that."

Niles cupped her face and kissed her briefly. "You're so much different than I thought."

Miss Kent laughed. "I'm an actress", she said and winked. "Miss Babcock gave me that job because I looked so much like her. I'm Lauren Kent, broadway actress. Miss Babcock promised me a main role in their new show for acting as her, and as you see, I played her cold-hearted-bitch-role perfectly. And she made me promise to torture you ..."

"Why did you stop?", Niles asked.

"I noticed I'm attracted to you ... And then you told me you love her, and now I'm strarting to think that she told me to torture you because she loves you too."

"I doubt that", Niles said quietly.

This woman was amazing.

She was beautiful, she was nice, she was absolutely sweet.

Why couldn't he love her?

"Miss Kent ..."

"Lauren."

"Lauren ...", Niles smiled at her. "I wish I could - _do it_ but I'm afraid I'd -"

"Niles, you love her!", Lauren said and finally began to dress herself. "I bet nobody else would understand why byou do, but I do. Love is love, you can't choose or change that. You love her and that's it, and she's silly if she doesn't love you too!"

Niles smiled again. "Lauren, I owe you -"

"You owe me nothing", Lauren said and then her cheeks went red. "I've always been romantic ... Niles, I'll help you to win over Miss Babcock."


	2. Witch

CC opened her eyesand rubbed them.

A blonde woman stood in front of her bed, a woman who looked very much like her, the only difference was the slim body and the smile she wore.

What the hell -!?

"Hello, CC", the woman said.

CC sighed.

"Whad'ya want, Lauren", CC mumbled.

"You know exactly what I want CC", Lauren said.

CC looked confused. "I have no idea what you are talking about", she said

"Of course not", Lauren said, "let's go out for a minute."

CC groaned but Lauren helped her to get up anyway.

She placed her in a wheelchair and they went out together, looking like twins, the one twin sister visiting her other twin in the nuthouse.

In the park Lauren sat down on a bench and looked at CC.

She looked very pale and confused, so Lauren decided to tell her later.

She had gotten thinner and her eyes had lost that evil spark they had when Lauren had the job interview with her.

She wanted it back.

"I'm happy about the role you gave me in your play", Lauren said and took CC's hand.

It was cold as ice.

CC nodded, her eyes lost. "What about hazel ", she said weakly. Her lips weren't moving at all.

"Niles", Lauren laughed. "Oh he is fine, we really get along."

"I told you to ...", CC began, but she was too weak to end the sentence.

"At first insulted him and played tricks but then I found myself attracted to him we went out and -" _Alright, Lauren. Just do it. You're not a liar, but this is important! You can do that! _Lauren took a breath and said, "We had really nice sex."

Lauren could practically hear CC's heart break.

Her face went from dull to shocked and finally desperate.

She began to open her mouth slowly, when the wind suddenly began to blow through the trees and the leaves began to hiss.

_How does she dare?, _ CC thought.

_How does HE dare?!_

_After all we went through!_

_We kissed twice, we're hardcore-flirting ..._

_We definitely have something!_

_How can he simply nail that wannabe?!_

_What we have is ... Well, it's romantic. And it feels like it's endless._

_He probably just thought with his ... uhm, little butler again._

_He alreafy forgot me._

_And what we have._

_Well, good._

_I'll show him how much he needs me ..._

_How much he wants me._

"Are you done?", Lauren asked softly.

"I'm back", CC said, her voice suddenly sounding cold.

And she meant it.

CC Babcock was back.

Lauren smiled.

Of course she'd noticed the wind and the leaves, this was just one of the many signs that CC would do.

The next time wasn't going to be easy for her, there were a lot of things that would change.

Her sense of smell, for example.

Her hair would start to grow faster and she would start to seem really attractive to men.

And when she finally figured out what she could do with her hands, she would probably think, she was crazy.

Lauren knew how CC would feel, she had turned into a witch many years ago after her heart broke.

And now CC would go the same path.

* * *

><p>"Hello, hello."<p>

CC's deep voice sounded different.

It almost sounded ... soft.

"Beware, beware, the witch is back", Niles groaned and turned around - and froze.

She looked beautiful, no, stunning, no, breathtaking!

"You should choose your words wiser", she said, lightly smiling.

Her hair had gotten longer again, it was curled and ended shortly above her breasts.

Niles focused on the fact how her hair had managed to grow that long in not even month, this way he prevented himself from looking at her cleavage.

She wore a black blazer with a deep v-neck and a tight black skirt.

She was so skinny again.

Niles hoped she hadn't had a liposuction.

He focused on her face again - her hair looked more blonde, almost gold, her eyes were shining and her lashes were long and deep black.

Her lips were blood red - as usual - and she smiled lightly at him.

Niles pressed himself hardly on the counter as he felt his arousal grow.

"Niles, you're sweating", CC said erotically.

Wait - erotically?!

No, this couldn't be -

This had to be a dream. Niles' dreams usually started like this.

But in this very moment Miss Fine came down and Niles could be sure now, this wasn't a dream at all.

"Oh, hi, Miss Baaabcock", she said. "Glad ta see ya again! Ya look good!"

"Thank you, Nanny Fine", Miss Babcock said coldly and quickly got out of the kitchen, obviously avoiding talking to the dark haired woman.

Niles stared after her and Miss Fine poured herself some orange juice.

"What's up, sweetie?", she asked.

"Did you - did you -" Niles swallowed. "Miss Fine, didn't you notice? I mean - that doesn't look like her! Her hair! Her eyes! Her - her body ..." Niles waved his hands in the air.

"Sweetie, you're sweating", Miss Fine repeated Miss Babcock's words from before. "Well I'm sorry, but I have no idea what'ya talkin' 'bout. She looked as always. Ok, she lost a little weight but she still seems a little round. And what about her hair? It's the same as always."

"I - I", Niles stuttered. Hadn't she seen ..?

Why did Miss Fine say she looked 'a little round'?

"I'm tired. I'm going upstairs", he sighed.

* * *

><p>"No, this is wrong. Dammit, CC!"<p>

"This is your fucking fault!" CC's blood was boiling. "You did that to me, I didn't want to do this! I never wanted to become -" CC shivered. "A witch."

"I'm sorry, but it was also -"

"You did sleep with him, you did turn me into a witch", CC hissed. "Fine, you tortured me enough. Could you pleeease get out of me life?"

Lauren sighed.

She hadn't told CC that her and Niles never had slept together, her opinion was, that Niles should tell her.

And that was why CC hated her.

"Look, please just look. _Menyanthidis trifoliate_ isn't suitable for this potion ... As well as _Visum album _and ... _Aurantium amarum pericarpium?!_ Are you crazy?!"

"Why this Latin shit", CC grunted. "I can't remember a single herb anyway."

"Because that's what witches speak", said Lauren with rolling eyes. "You can't get a good witch wihout speaking Latin."

"But I told you already what I've done!", CC whined.

"Yeah, you made a goddess out of yourself, but just in the eyes of Niles. CC! Wake up! If you want him to love you, he has to love your real self!"

"He never would love me real self - and why are you helping me anyway?", CC said angrily and a vase behind her bursted.

Lauren mumbled a few latin words and the vase was intact again.

"I don't love him", Lauren said. "But you do. Besides, you're a witch now, you need help."

And then Lauren turned to the potion again and CC asked herself for the hundredst time in the last week -

_When do I finally awake from this nightmare?_


	3. Dreams or nightmares?

But CC's nightmare wasn't over yet.

Lauren brought her into the magic, dark magic as well as occult magic.

Once, CC asked Lauren if she ever could be a normal human again.

Lauren's simple answer was: "No. But you can block your witch-chi, as the witches call it. Now you could destroy everything. But when your witch-chi is blocked, you won't be able to use magic anymore. But you'll forever be a witch and whenever something traumatic happens, your witch-chi could be unblocked again. Like when I told you that Niles and I slept together - that broke your heart, which unblocked your chi."

"How can I block this chi?", CC asked, ignoring the last part of the sentence.

But Lauren shrugged. "I ... really have no idea. Sorry. It never happened to me before."

CC got better and better in Latin, and after a few days she almost knew every herb and potion and how to use them.

She got better in magics too, so Lauren told her she could leave her soon.

It still was a nightmare for CC, she got into the magics very fast and couldn't manage to get out that easy.

She had to use it on everything and soon got addicted.

She fed Chester with magic, she read scripts with magic, she made her food and also ate with the help of magic.

She also got very fast into dark magic - one day she managed to enter the spirit world, ready to kill someone or herself, when Lauren entered her room, and almost didn't succeed to bring her back. After this time, she tried to focus CC on the occult magic, and soon CC could call herself a wicca.

She read a lot of books that helped her getting along with the spells.

Her favourite books were the ones about dreams.

She read, that wicca could visit the ones they loved im their dreams and could do everything to them. They could use spells on them to make them love them - bust just in their dreams -, kiss them, made love to them. The 'victims' of the wicca's spell always could remember what happened, but for them it was just a dream, though the wiccas really visited them.

CC's favourite chapter was the one where a wicca would use a spell on her love to punish him, she would have to tie him up and torture him.

He would wake up with bruises and blue scars, but whenever he would look at the wicca, they would heal. So he soon discovered that he couldn't live without her anymore.

So CC enjoyed torturing Niles in his dreams, too.

* * *

><p>After he'd seen CC in that 'new form', he couldn't stop thinking about her.<p>

Not that he usually didn't, but usually he just thought about ways to confess his love for her.

After that 'experience' of seeing her in her new wicca form - yes, he thought _wicca _indeed - he thought about her in a more sexual way.

He wanted to touch her, kiss her, make her happy.

He dreamt about her now every night, and in every dream she appeared as a witch.

At first he'd thought she did, because he always called her a witch, but she appeared in every dream he had, no matter what kind of dream it was.

Sometimes she really punished him, she tied him up and did things to him.

And the worst thing was, it only didn't feel real - when he woke up, he also had bruises and blue marks.

And during the day she threw glances at him and grinned evilly when he moaned of pain while moving.

At first he'd enjoyed it, but after a while it was too intense for him - he sometimes couldn't breathe anymore and saw stars when he bent down for something.

But the funny thing was - whenever CC looked at him or smiled at him, one of his bruises vanished.

She was a witch.

She had to be something like that.

* * *

><p>"Hello, hello!"<p>

Niles' heart jumped when he heard her voice, but he quickly got out of her way. The dream he had this night had been something else.

She had tied him up again, but instead of punishing him, she had kissed him and his blue marks healed as it was a miracle.

Then she had released him from the ties, he'd decided to risk it and kissed her deeply.

She had kissed him back, but when they had been ready to take the next step, she'd vanished.

Niles clenched the edge of the counter.

Things had gotten so strange since she was back.

No ... Since he hadn't slept with Lauren.

"Niiiiiles!", Maxwell suddenly called and Niles groaned.

He went into the office. "Yes?"

He glanced at the witch, but she stared at her contracts.

He noticed she didn't read, her eyes were focused on the same word all the time.

"Could you bring CC some breakfast? She hasn't had one yet and is starving, she told me."

"Can't she get one for herself?", Niles said in a provoking tone. "She could easily let it fly and come to her."

CC's head shot up and she looked at him in shock.

Maxwell laughed. "Niles, just do it already."

Niles rolled his eyes and left the office again, followed by CC's worried look.

* * *

><p>Did he know?<p>

If he did - how?

CC always had been really careful ... Well, besides in the night when she was visiting him.

That kiss of last night ... Wow.

When CC had been at home after that visit, she had to lay down and think, her heart beating as crazy as it could.

She smiled to herself and entered the kitchen, where he stood and prepared her breakfast.

She wanted to scare him, but when she started to approach him quietly, he spoke.

"Don't even think about it. I can smell your generous applied perfume."

"Okay, you won", CC chuckled. "Choose your prize."

He turned around and looked in her eyes. "Go out with me."

CC's mouth went open. "What?"

"Go out with me, Babcock ... Please."


	4. The magic words

_"Go out with me Babcock ... Please."_

CC smiled as she applied her lipstick, while letting this memory go through her mind.

_At first I stared at him in shock. But then I smiled - he looked at me like a frightened puppy._

_"I'm making ot way too easy for you, Butler Boy", I said and approached him slowly._

_"What do you mean", he breathed._

_I was standing in front of him now. I was taller than him and looked down, looked at his lips. What would I give to kiss them again, but in real, not in his dreams._

_I gasped when he took my hands._

_Thousand electrics shocks went through my body - he was touching me!_

_"You are a wonderful woman, Miss Babcock", Niles said, avoiding my eyes. "We've known each other for so long now but ... I want to know more about you."_

_Oh no, you don't._

_"I want to sit with you and talk to you and hold your hands ..." Finally he looked at me. His eyes were soft and full of tenderness. _

_"What's happening to you?", I asked quietly._

_"I feel responsible for your knock-out", he told me and caressed my hands tenderly. "But you came back and I'm seeing this as a chance of -"_

_But he didn't came further._

_I shut his mouth with mine._

_I broke away not a second after, but it was enough._

_"Thank you", I whispered. "Pick me up from the theater at eleven tomorrow ... You as gentleman pay of course."_

_And then I left, but I could swear I've heard a mumbled "Funny, I was going to say the same about you."_

"CC? Are you done?"

CC rolled her eyes. She was in the theater, applying her lipstick in the lady's room for twenty minutes now.

So Lauren thought.

When CC came out, she was completely dressed different, she wore a short red dress that ended above her knees. Of course she wore her usual Blazer over her dress, but she had changed her black shoes to red pumps. Her hair was curled and longer again. Her lashes also were longer than usual.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "You really enjoy making yourself prettier, am I right?"

CC just winked at her and got out of the theater to get a cab.

* * *

><p>When Niles saw her, he had to breathe in for a moment.<p>

She looked like a goddess ... Again.

"Hi", she said and let herself fall on the chair.

They decided to stay outside, because of the rarely good weather.

"You look ...", Niles began, but he couldn't end the sentence.

He couldn't risk to call her what he thought of her - ravishing, breathtaking, incredible, beautiful, stunning.

And he couldn't manage to call her _nice, _it just seemed to little.

CC didn't answer, she just studied the menu, while Niles studied her.

She was so different ... Everything on her.

And he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"I think I take the chicken piccata", CC said and laid the menu down. "And you -? Niles?"

He was still staring at her. "I'll take whatever you offer me ...", he whispered.

CC didn't know how to answer that one.

"Niles ... Just choose your food. Please."

"I could stare the whole time at you, I'd never get enough.", Niles said and looked into her eyes.

"Niles", CC warned. "This is getting creepy."

"But why? I like looking at you."

"This is not you", CC said, desperately wanting her Niles back.

The waiter came and CC ordered two chicken piccatas.

They drank their water in silence.

But suddenly Niles took her hand. "Miss Babcock, I have to tell you something."

CC put down her glass and looked at him. "Yes?"

"I - I - oh my god, screw it. Miss Babcock, I lo - Lauren?"

CC turned around and hissed, when she saw the blonde approaching her. "Lauren! You're disturbing here. Go away!"

"CC, I have to talk to you", Lauren said.

CC groaned and got up. "Yeah?"

Lauren pulled her a few metres away, took her hand and pulled the ring from CC's finger. "What were you thinking?", she hissed. "Where do you have that ring from?"

"Why, I found it, it's beautiful!", I said and tried to grab the ring back.

"CC! This ring is Ariana's ring! It makes a fool out of your partner! He was under your spell the second he looked at you. He almost said the magic words, that would have been awful!"

"Ariana? The magic words?"

"_I love you, _CC."

"Well, I love you too, but I'm afrait you're not my type", CC said sarcastically.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Claire. I found out something really important about the magic words. Where do you have that ring from?"

"No need to call me by my witch-name!", CC hissed. "Fine, I've been in the Spirit World again."

"CC", Lauren sighed.

"Okay, it's fine. I'm never doing it again. Now tell me about the magic words!"

"He has to say that he loves you, but if you use a spell on him to say them, he's going to be cursed."

"Okay" CC rolled her eyes. "I won't use a spell. Go now."

And she went back to Niles and sat down. Her chicken piccata had already arrived.

He stared at her. Suddenly she looked so different ... AGAIN!

Beautiful, as always. But minutes ago he'd been like hypnotised when he looked at her. Now it was normal again.

She began to eat the piccata when she noticed a red rose on her plate.

"From your secret admirer", Niles said without looking at her and also eat his lunch.

* * *

><p>After all, it hadn't been that great, they had barely talked to each other after Lauren had interrupted them.<p>

CC had been quietly because she knew they had slept together and Niles had been quietly because he knew that she thought he'd slept with her.

Niles was dusting the living room at the moment and thought about her, when Maxwell came in.

"Niles, the contracts for my latest play are still in CC's home but she's in the theater and doesn't answer mg calls. Could you drive to get them? You have a key, don't you?"

"Yes, I have", Niles said. "I'm on my way, Sir."


	5. My angel

Niles drove to CC's penthouse.

He couldn't stop thinking about her and the failed date.

Fact one.

He'd been enchanted by her appearence.

Fact two.

He'd been gamy enough to make sexual hints.

Fact three.

He'd almost said _I love you._

Fact four.

No other than Lauren Kent had interrupted them.

Fact five.

After Miss Babcock came back, he wasn't enchanted anymore (of course he was stunned as always, but the dizzy feeling was gone).

Fact six.

The lunch ended disappointing.

Niles sighed and stopped the car. He'd decided to drive for himself, he had to calm down and think of something else (of course he couldn't).

He took the stairway (he'd never taken the elevator again after the heart attack) and climbed up to the penthouse.

He wanted to unlock the door, but it was open already.

Niles shrugged and entered. "Miss Babcock?", he called and froze.

The floor was covered with very old books.

There was a cauldron standing in the middle of her living room.

There were thousands of different plants all in her room.

Two dark cloakes hung over the couch.

A piece of wood - that looked like a magic wand - laid on the coffee table.

Niles discovered that his mouth hung open but he had no idea how to close him again.

That moment, Miss Babcock came out of the bedroom.

"Niles!"

No -not Miss Babcock ... this was Lauren!?

"Lauren?", Niles asked. "What are you doing here? Are you living here?"

"I am", Lauren simply answered. "And what are you doing here?"

"I - I am looking for the contracts for a new backer or something -" Niles froze again. "Are you - are you and Miss Babcock -?!"

He couldn't end the sentence.

If they were ... What should he do? How should he react? What should he think? What should he _feel?_

But to his relieve, Lauren laughed.

"Oh no, we're good friends, that's all", she said.

Niles thought he heard a little bit of sadness in her voice, but he was sure this was just imagination.

Lauren went to the counter of the kitchen and opened a drawer.

She went to Niles and gave him the contracts.

She looked in his eyes and smiled.

_"Noli oblivisci confestim"_, she said and pushed Niles out of the penthouse.

And Niles already had forgotten what CC's home looked like at the moment.

* * *

><p><em>"Niles was in my home?"<em>

CC clenched her heart and let herself fall on the couch. "Dammit Lauren!"

"Calm down, Claire. I've let him forget."

Lauren smiled.

She always smiled. She even smiled when she was furious at CC.

CC found the younger woman really cute, but annoying.

She was about six years younger and looked exactely like her, so CC loved to pretend she was her little sister.

That was the only reason why CC let Lauren sleep in her guest room. She always wanted to have a younger sister, DD and Noel were too much. But Lauren was perfect.

She did everything for her.

"Well done, LK!", CC said, stood up and went into her bedroom.

Even though "LK" was a more experienced and skilled witch, CC treated her like an apprentice.

Lauren never said something against it.

CC could see that the woman adored her ... And she liked it, she thought that Lauren also saw her as an older sister ...

How would she react if she saw the woman right now - sitting on the couch at the same spot CC was stitting a few seconds ago and breathing hard.

* * *

><p>Two days later, CC was practicing with her wand.<p>

She was good in performing magic with her hands, but the wand made the magic much more effective.

_"Niles?"_

_It was her in his dreams. Again._

_"Hello, CC." Niles smiled._

_CC smiled back._

_"You look ravishing", he whispered as he touched her waist lovingly. He pulled her to him and embraced her, trailing his fingers up and down her back._

_She wore a long, strapless dress in white._

_The fact that she looked like a bride made his heart beat faster._

_He couldn't dare to call her a bride, so he said, "You look like an angel."_

_They danced slowly to the quiet music that was playing somewhere far away._

_"Oh, Niles", CC sighed. "Why can't we act like this when we see each other in real?"_

_Niles didn't know how to answer._

_Since their failed date he was having these dreams about her - she appeared in white and they danced and kissed... _

_he of course liked this dreams a lot more than the punishing-dreams, but he was too afraid, too shy to risk them coming true._

_He still had the feeling that CC really was there in his dreams, but what if they only were what he'd just called them - only dreams?_

_She would laugh and make fun of him and ..._

_Niles' thoughts were gone when CC pulled back and kissed him._

_They always kissed slowly and tenderly._

_CC had the softest lips he could dream of, they weren't only beautiful, they were amazing._

_She tasted like a summer rain and her kisses were breathtaking._

_"CC ...", Niles whispered and stroke her cheek. "Please. You have to know that I lo -"_

_But CC laid her finger on his mouth. "Shhhh", she said and kissed him again._

_"CC, please" Niles pushed her back and looked at her._

_"Niles, don't", CC pleaded. "I know what you are going to say ... And believe me, I want to hear it. But not now. And not here. Tell me when the time is right."_

_"And when -"_

_"You'll notice it", CC smiled, kissed him one last time and then disappeared._

Back in her penthouse, CC laid the wand down.

"How was it?", asked Lauren.

"Amazing!", CC said excited and jumped up and down. "Omg, you should've seen me, LK! I looked like an angel-bride or something!"

"I can imagine that", Lauren said smiling. "By the way, while you were gone, this came for you." She pointed on a dozen red roses.

_"For my angel. Your secret admirer",_ CC read the text on the card

"Oh mh god ..." CC pressed the card on her chest.

This Niles ...


	6. Aphrodite

Niles opened his eyes.

This Miss Babcock ...

She'd visited him again and this time he was ready to say "I love you", when she told him to say it when the time was right.

Niles got up and opened the drawer of his nightstand. He pulled out a picture of Miss Babcock. She wore a light purple flower dress, her hair was in a ponytail, her feet were naked and she smiled at him lightly, surrounded by sunset and sand.

He could remember where that picture came from, as if it had been only yesterday ...

_"Oh, shake it, Miss Babcock!"_

_The first thing I thought was 'Did I really say that? How come I'm thinking about _her _in my holidays?'_

_When I turned around, there she was - in a pink flower dress. She had a big hat on her head and a drink in her hand._

_She looked fabulous - so without the whole suits and stuff._

_"Oh, daylight come and we wanna go home", I said and regretted it instantly - she threw a sharp gaze on me and went away without another word._

_The next day I saw her again._

_She wore the same dress in purple but this time she neither wore a hat nor shoes. She sat down on the beach and stared at the sea. She looked like a stranded siren and so I walked up to her with a drink._

_"Something to drink, beautiful?"_

_She looked up smiling, but the smile froze when she saw me._

_"Go away", she said and stared at the sea again._

_"Oh sorry, were you waiting for your boyfriend? I'm sorry to disappoint you, Aphrodite, but Neptun has found a younger and prettier one."_

_Oh shit, did I really say Aphrodite?_

_She'd noticed, of course, she turned her head to me and smirked. "Aphrodite? You know who that is, right?"_

_"Of course I know and I have to tell you ..." I sighed. I just had to. "Her beauty is nothing, compared to yours", I finally confessed._

_After that, Miss Babcock stared at me for about five minutes._

_Then she turned to the sea again. "I was waiting for Roberto ... But I've seen him with another woman. When I heard you, I thought he changed his mind, but I gues ..."_

_She sighed._

_"Who is this man?", I asked and sat down next to her._

_She turned away and shrugged. "I've met him today. Guess he doesn't want me. Nobody does."_

_She stood up and walked away._

_I jumped to me feet and ran after her._

_"Don't be so strict with yourself!", I said._

_"Yeah, but you can say that, right?", she huffed._

_"Yes, because I don't mean it", I said._

_She stared at me again. "You don't mean it when you say I'm not good enough for a man?"_

_"Not a single word ...", I whispered and looked in her sparkling eyes._

_"And the things you say about my body and my face?" She looked lost _

_"Please, Miss Babcock", I laughed. "Have you ever seen yourself?" I leaned in and whispered "Aphrodite ..."_

_I guess I had really made her mood better. We didn't kiss, we didn't dance, nothing important happened - besides the fact that we got along._

_After I'd took that picture, she told me to keep it, so I had something that remembered me of our holidays._

_And this was good, because a week after we came back, everything was forgotten and we were back at our normal status ..._

Niles laid the picture back into his drawer and got up, ready to see his queen again.

* * *

><p>"Laaaaaaaaureeeeeen!"<p>

"What?!"

Lauren jumped out the shower, threw a towel around her body and got out of the bathroom.

What she saw was priceless - CC was sticking on the ceiling.

Lauren couldn't help but laugh, it just looked too funny.

She stood under CC and looked up to her. "How did you get up there?", she said laughing.

"Shut up and help me doooown", CC screamed, which made Lauren laugh even more.

"God, CC, you're so stupid", she said, still chuckling. "I won't help you, you did get up for yourself, so get down for yourself."

"You know what, Laura?", CC said.

"Tell me, Claire."

CC laughed. "From up there, I can see in your towel, HAHAHA, what a nice sight!"

Lauren got red, mumbled something, and CC crashed on the floor.

* * *

><p>"Hello, hello-ho!"<p>

"Good morning, Miss Babcock ..."

They exchanged a light grin.

CC wanted to put a silent _Thank you for the flowers _in it, and Niles just wanted to thank her that she was alive.

The day was usual as always after that - a few insults, a few pranks, a few glances, a few flirts.

And they both went to bed with the wish of making more out of it.

* * *

><p>Lauren stood in front of the big house. She wanted to knock, but she was afraid.<p>

She was afraid of Ariana.

Of course, she had the ring, but ...

"LAURA!"

"Oh no", Lauren whispered.

She knelt down as the beautiful black haired witch came out of the house. "Laura, my dear!", she said and pulled Lauren up to embrace her. "You found my ring?"

Lauren nodded and gave the queen of the witches her ring back. "And who stole it?", Ariana asked while she put the ring back on her finger.

"No, she didn't steal it!", Lauren said loudly. "Ariana ... She's new. And very, very stupid ..."

"Claire", Ariana said. The witch could read minds and feels. "You ... Oh my god. Laura, you -"

"I know, Ariana. Please. Don't say it."

Ariana nodded knowingly. "She's in love with that man - Niles."

Lauren always felt so awkward around her - the witch knew everything.

So she read her mind with a "Uh - huh ... Mhhh ... Uh - huh."

But suddenly she gasped. "Laura! Claire is the most powerful witch I've ever seen!"

Lauren smiled. "Yep."

"That's bad, Laura, oh, that's bad! She could destroy everything, we have to do something with that Niles. If she tells him what she is ... And he says he doesn't love her ..."

"He loves her with his whole heart."

"Laura", Ariana said sadly. "What did you learn? No man is able to love a witch. Look what happened to Lola. Look at you. You are -"

"Ariana."

"Sorry. But you _have _to do something."

Lauren nodded.


End file.
